Growing Algae On Purpose

Squishie89 · Apr 4, 2013

I can't remember where I read or heard of this, but the idea is to put rock in a tank/clear container and put the container in direct sunlight and let algae grow on the rock(s), then put the rock in your display for grazers to munch on. Has anyone heard of this or done this? I am going to be trying to do this with a semi broken 15g column tank (don't worry, my QT is fine, this is an older tank) with rock, saltwater, bottle bacteria, saran wrap, cover and put it out on the deck. Any ideas or tips on making this work?

Mrfresh · Apr 5, 2013

I don't know that algae will grow on rock in just a bucket. I think it would need dirty water and it would need some kind of flow...
But!, I have taken frags from my frag tank that had hair algae on them out them in my display tank. With all my tangs and within an hour all algae a gone then back to the frag tank... Also when I need to clear out so,e of my algae in my fug I put it in my display tank and it all disappears...

Squishie89 · Apr 5, 2013

Well it will not be in a bucket, it will be a clear glass tank. I am hoping I can do without flow because I want to try and do this outside (our house is positioned so we get barely any direct sunlight through windows).